Penn Yan court is moving

PENN YAN—After more than a decade in the heart of Main Street, Penn Yan village court will be moving to new quarters in the village office building on Elm Street in just a few weeks. A progress report on renovations being made to the basement of the building was presented during the village board meeting, Jan. 19.
Court was relocated to the village-owned Maxwell Building more than a dozen years ago. The new site was an improvement over its former location in the Basin Street police station but had several drawbacks, one of the most evident is the congestion on Main Street during the evening court sessions. For years downtown business owners had been asking the village to move the court because of problems that resulted from issues on court nights that created a poor image for downtown. Inside the building, another problem was the lack of an area for attorneys to meet in private with clients.
Later in the meeting the village approved acquisition of new security cameras for the court; four for entries and two for the hallway and stairways. There will also be quad monitor for the four entry cameras. Trustee Bob Church asked if this would allow one officer to manage the court and police chief Mark Hulse said yes. Village clerk/treasurer Shawna Wilber said part of the $10,790 cost of the cameras and monitor will be covered with grant funds. Discussion followed regarding the need for a court attendant and location of the magnetometer. Church commented, “The situation we have now is not very safe. If we get to the point we have to put someone upstairs for security we’ll have to deal with it.” Mayor Douglas Marchionda Jr. added, “I think it will be a work in progress.”
Last year the village had considered relocating court to the nearby Yates County Courthouse, however additional costs, mainly for security, led to dropping consideration of that option and village officials proceeded to make plans for court in the village office building.
The move is expected in February at which time the Maxwell Building will be declared surplus and offered for sale, allowing it to return to the tax rolls. The village has been contacted by a local businessman who is interested in purchasing the building when it is available.